| Birth: | Apr. 2, 1939 | | Death: | Apr. 1, 1984 | 
Rhythm and Blues Singer. The son of an Apostolic preacher, he was born in Washington, DC, and learned to sing and play the organ in his father's church. After a stint in the United States Air Force, he formed his own groups before Harvey Fuqua lured him into to the latest edition of the singing group, the "Moonglows". Berry Gordy (founder of Motown) heard Gaye singing with the group in a Detroit, Michigan club during 1961 and offered him a solo deal- though before recording his own songs he first served as a session drummer. Gordy and Gaye later became brother-in-law when Gaye married Anna Gordy (they later divorced), but they often locked horns over artistic direction and creative control. Marvin Gaye went on to be referred to as "Motown's Prince". Among his recordings with Motown were "Stuborn Kinda Fellow," "Pride and Joy," "I Heard it Through the Grapevine," "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing," and "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)." He also recorded with the likes of Mary Wells, Kim Weston, Diana Ross and, most effectively, the James Brown discovery Tammi Terrell, who collapsed in Gaye's arms during a 1967 concert and died three years later of a brain tumor. Gaye convinced the Motown chairman Berry Gordy to let him record the occasional album of standards, and his 1971 song cycle "What's Going On". Gaye left Motown in 1981 and later recorded one of his last hits "Sexual Healing" with CBS Records. On April 1, 1984, the day before his birthday, he was shot to death at his Los Angeles, California home by his father.
Cause of death: Murdered (gunshot) by his father
Search Amazon for Marvin Gaye | | | Burial:
Cremated, Ashes scattered at sea.
Specifically: Ashes scattered in the Pacific Ocean |
Maintained by: Find A Grave
Record added: Feb 24, 1999
Find A Grave Memorial# 4606 |
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